440 



BOVINE PATHOLOGY. 



sanguine emissions in the cow, and have also noted that 

 the discharge occurs regularly at intervals of nineteen or 

 twenty days, when the animal is not giving milk or in calf. 

 The hasmorrhagic flow appears two or three days after the 

 commencement of the 'rutting/ and when this is most 

 intense" (Fleming). Thus, we have the opinions of the 

 leading observers on the subject summarised by the author 

 of the excellent work on 'Veterinary Obstetrics.' It 

 generally commences when the animal is about twelve 

 months old, and occurs with fair regularity every month 

 or three weeks during the '' rutting" season, the duration 

 of each period being but short. Whether or not impregna- 

 tion takes place, a proliferation of the uterine epithelium 

 occurs. When this is thrown off it is intermingled with 

 a small amount of blood. Sometimes the discharge has 

 not a sanguineous character. The oestral ^products may 

 be retained, as in cases of impervious neck of the 

 uterus or imperforate hymen. They then accumulate, and 

 give rise to symptoms resembling those of dropsy of the 

 uterus. Again, they may be very profusej and contain 

 much blood, as in a case related by Mr. Macgillivray, of 

 Banff ('Veterinary Journal,' vol. iv, p. 186). In others 

 they are suppressed, and then the ordinary signs of oestrum 

 are usually, but not always, absent. Such cases of sup- 

 pression must be distinguished from those of retention, 

 the latter being by far the more serious condition. Sup- 

 pression is due to debilitating constitutional disorders, and 

 must be looked upon as a symptom of disease. With reten- 

 tion it is generally included under the heading Amenorrhcea. 

 Sterility is not at all infrequent in heifers, especially 

 well-bred animals. It is generally associated with fre- 

 quent oestrum, but sometimes there is an absence of 

 sexual desire. It may depend upon imperviousness of any 

 of the generative passages, such as results from inflamma- 

 tion of them, scrofulous disease, or morbid growths ; it is, 

 therefore, one of the symptoms of scirrhous os uteri, im- 

 pervious hymen, and congenital malformation of the gene- 

 rative organs, as seen in hermaphrodites. Again, the 

 excessively fattened condition may cause sterility. 



